If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

After nailing down one of the bigger fishes of the free agent market in Jaromir Jagr earlier in the day, Philadelphia Flyers General Manager Paul Holmgren opted for a little depth in the lineup.

Holmgren did just that when he signed pending unrestricted free agent center Maxime Talbot and defenseman Andreas Lilja each to multi-year contracts. Talbot, whose ability in the faceoff circle and playoff experience were probably areas coveted by Holmgren, inked a five-year deal reportedly worth $9 million.

Lilja, meanwhile, was signed to a three-year deal worth $5.1 million.

Talbot, who scored the game-winner that won the Penguins the Stanley Cup in 2009, is a solid third-line center and strong penalty killer. The 27-year-old fan favorite had spent his entire six-year career with the Penguins after being drafted by the team in the eighth round in 2002. He had 8 goals and 21 points in 82 games this past season.

Talbot totaled 52 goals and 108 points in 388 regular-season games with the Penguins. He also had 14 goals and 33 points in 66 Stanley Cup playoff contests. He'll certainly fill some of the tough minutes lost in the dealing of Mike Richards and Jeff Carter last week.

Lilja, 35, has spent 10 seasons in the League, including five with the Detroit Red Wings from 2005-10. He produced 16 goals and 81 points in 530 career games.

Re: Maxime Talbot signs 5 year, $9 million contract with Fly

Just think, now they can come out with the inherently evil Carcillo-Talbot-Jagr line.

Scratch that. Carcillo left Philly for Chicago (1 year, $775,000).

So the Flyers lose Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Ville Leino, Kris Versteeg, Brian Boucher, Dan Carcillo, and Sean O'Donnell and replace them with Ilya Bryzgalov, a 39-year-old Jaromir Jagr, Max Talbot, Andreas Lilja, Jakub Voracek, and an unproven Brayden Schenn (they still haven't come to terms with Wayne Simmonds, who was part of the Richards trade). They also got several draft picks in the Richards, Carter, and Versteeg trades, but in total, this seems like a big-time net loss overall. You just don't dump your cornerstone franchise players to finally sign a decent goalie, then expect to replace that lost offensive production with over-the-hill guys, role players, and unproven prospects.

Re: Maxime Talbot signs 5 year, $9 million contract with Fly

Max Talbot knew the Thursday before the NHL entry draft that his Penguins tenure was over.

A three-year offer from general manager Ray Shero was one that Talbot couldn't accept with free agency looming. His first call was to longtime friend Sidney Crosby.

"One of toughest phone calls I've ever had to make," Talbot said. "Eventually he said, 'Yeah, it makes sense for you to go' ... but he didn't tell me to go to Philly."

Talbot, who signed a five-year deal worth $9 million with the Flyers on Friday, shared some thoughts Saturday with the Tribune-Review:

ON REALIZING HE WAS ABOUT TO JOIN THE ENEMY:

"At noon (Friday), Danny Briere called me, then Ian Laperriere called me, and all of a sudden I'm, like, 'Holy... it's the Flyers!' But when I heard from the GM and then Chris Pronger, I realized what was there in Philly. It would have been tough for me to go to a weaker organization, because when you leave Pittsburgh you leave a winning organization that does everything the right way. My top priority was having a chance to win the Stanley Cup again, and Philly is a great fit that way. But, yes, the rivalry did cross my mind — but then it was, like, 'I'm not going to play in Pittsburgh anymore, so where is the best place for me to make a difference?' And it was Philly."

ON EVGENI MALKIN'S REACTION:

"I just texted him (Saturday) about this, but when he heard last week that I wasn't going to be a Penguin anymore he sent me a text that was so Geno. It just said, 'Why?' "

ON LEAVING THE PENGUINS:

"My foundation is going to stay in Pittsburgh. It was six years, and I worked hard to establish that knowing I could be somewhere else someday. The money I raise there will stay there. It's not like the base of fans I created — at least I hope not — won't support my charity work. I don't want to be thought of as a traitor. I know it's emotional for fans for me to be leaving for the Flyers, but I hope I'll still have some support. It's going be tough for fans to accept. If people are upset, they are allowed to be, but I hope they say, 'Max helped us a lot and tried to do stuff in the city and stuff like that.'

ON HIS SIGNATURE PENGUINS MEMORY:

"Tough to pick just one, but the day of the (2009 Cup) parade, and lifting that thing in front of the fans — that was unbelievable. Also, having dinners at Mario's house with Sid; those meals were special. The thing that just popped into my head is late this season there was a sign I remember. It was a little kid and the sign said, 'Max, Love You!' Yeah, Pittsburgh is a special place.'

ON PLAYING AS A FLYER AT CONSOL ENERGY CENTER ON DEC. 29:

"I feel lucky it's late in the season, not right from the start. After two months of playing for the Flyers, I'll look at myself in an orange sweater and be used to it. That date will keep me awake at night for a few days before."